


There's Been a Murderer in the Family

by PapaKapkan



Series: And Then There Were None... [3]
Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, More Murder, get ready, more mayhem, oh booi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2019-07-26 00:01:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16208429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PapaKapkan/pseuds/PapaKapkan
Summary: Now we follow Mark R. Chandar after the events of the Streicher Massacre out in northern Germany, and the events following the death of James Porter, soon to be James Chandar. What is Mark's plan now?





	1. Prologue

Mark R. Chandar clenched his fist. Rage boiled in him. A fierce rage, doubled up with a painful sorrow in his heart. He understands now. He understands Vigil’s motives before he shot him dead. He watched Kapkan and his unit cahorting across the canteen. He stabbed at his food listlessly with his fork. The news struck him hard and he  _ hated _ someone so viciously now. He looked at Fuze. Shuhrat Kessikbayev, kind of a loner. Easy to catch alone in the workshop these days. Since Jäger retired early, and now many of the people who used to frequent the workshop stopped visiting or are dead, like Twitch and Ying. He decided he was first. An easy target. Tachanka would also be easy to lure out. He would feel guilty about Lera, after having heard Gustave tell her about what Emmanuelle said to him before she died. He twirled the fork between his fingers. He felt a hand on his shoulder and shot a cold glare at the man who touched him. The hand was withdrawn. Thatcher stood over him, his dark brown eyes held only shock and a minor fear. He knew if Mark was in a bad mood, not to mess with him. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words failed him as Mark looked down at his food, mauled upon his plate. 

  
The younger man stood up to head off to the workshop. He knew what would happen from there. And exactly how things can play out from there. There was no soothing his rage. Only the blood of all five of them could bring him peace. And he was going to go straight to hell and back to get it if he had to. As he marched off to the workshop Thatcher was left behind, confused and worried for his younger teammate. He decided the young man was best left alone for now. The grief still too fresh in his heart. Even Sledge hadn’t emerged after their beloved prankster had gone, claiming the common room was “too quiet” now. And he was right. As everything fell into place for Mark, he felt his lover would be proud of him. His heart twisted by rage, whereas his two comrades didn’t even know what to do with themselves. He had a plan. He was going to make James Porter, his fiancé and lover, so very _proud_.


	2. Two Birds, One Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boom.

Mark was sick of funerals. The funeral of his fiancé, James Porter was quiet. James’ sickly mother came from London and ended up huggin Mark fiercely, asking why her strong and brave son had to die. Mark could only clench his jaw shut and blink back tears as he hugged James’ mother. He felt the rage return to him again, knowing exactly how James died. He wasn’t there on the mission, due to Six wanting to keep them seperate. She didn’t want their emotions to cloud their judgement in the middle of the mission, which he understood. But Maxim “Kapkan” Basuda  _ could _ have damn well saved James. He chose to leave him there. He saw the footage of the hunter leaving James behind. He knew damn well what he was doing, he knew the guilt Maxim showed at the funeral was false. He only felt bad because he was caught leaving him behind. Mark had a fury in his soul, Mrs. Porter lost her only child, and Mark lost his future husband. They were going to get married a week from the day he died. The wedding was all planned out, and Seamus had helped James pick out a good suit for the wedding. Mark himself had picked a white suit. It was going to be beautiful. 

 

Mark was the only one left behind after the funeral service. He stood over his lover’s grave, and kneeled before it. The tears flowed fast as he sobbed, falling to both knees before the headstone. The shiny marble surface had the name of his would-be husband carved on it in perfect solid letters. The dates read May 14, 1981 to October 7, 2018. The leaves that were on the ground around him blew dryly in the wind. The inscription the stone read “a beloved son, lover, and soldier.” Mark shook with his sobs, grief tore him apart from the inside out. But his mind kept working. Replaying the footage over and over in his head. James was in the corner, Kapkan told him to stay there, that he would be right back. But he  _ left  _ and he  _ never returned _ . He went back downstairs to hunt down the white masks in the vicinity and left him there to bleed out. He told Tachanka and Finka he was up there, but neither of them went up to find out if he was even  _ ok _ . Glaz was on the other building and had seen James go down. No word was spoken. Fuze found him dead. He wanted all of them dead. Mark placed his hand on his lover’s headstone and spoke.

 

“I  _ swear _ on my life, my love for you, James. They will not get away with what they did. They will pay for letting you die out there. I vow to make them  _ pay _ .” he spoke quietly, his soft voice speaking the harshest of words. The emptiness in his heart made way for the rage within to take its place. He swore his oath and he stood from the grave. Tears no longer falling. He would avenge his fiancé. He would kill all of them. And he knew just where to begin.

 

When he arrived back on base, Sledge and Thatcher decided to leave him be as he stormed to his room. The one he once shared with his lover. James’ favorite peace lily was wilting. Mark believed it too, died when James died. Only rage and violence ruled Mark’s heart. Thatcher showed concern when he commented on Mark’s more aggressive combat recently. He never responded to the elder man. Leaving him in silence. He pulled out a small notebook he had begun keeping, flipping to the section he had been filling out on Shuhrat Kessikbayev. The tinkerer. He loved tinkering about in the workshop. He figured he would be the easiest to take out, and he’d better be the first. If one of his own teammates dies, he would bet the Uzbek would be far more cautious and distrusting of anyone. He knows he wants to save Glaz and Kapkan for the last ones, respectively. Making Kapkan suffer in the end is his end goal. He is the one who let his lover die in entirety. Taking out the rest of them with him will just be a blessing for team Rainbow. 

 

He found himself walking slowly to the workshop, one of his Moni devices in hand. Some “upgrades” he wanted to work on as an excuse to the others. Thatcher left him with a warning about drowning himself in his work. He smiled, hiding his excitement about his absolutely glorious plan. He slowly pushed open the doors to the workshop to see Fuze  _ exactly  _ where he expected him to be. He controlled his reaction as he entered, careful to keep himself calm and collected. He set the Moni onto a table and he looked back over to Fuze, who hadn’t acknowledged the younger man. His sharp brown eyes monitored the Uzbek. Now he just has to wait until the older man leaves. He pretended to work on his device while he waited, two hours passed before the Uzbek operator made a disgruntled sound and abandoned his precious cluster charges on the table. Probably to go eat some dinner. He knows that he will have to use these particular charges soon. All he has to do is tinker with them a little bit, to cause at least one, if not all of them, to backfire on him. He does exactly that, having just enough time to tinker with them. He placed them back  _ exactly _ how they had been and went back to his device. Fuze came back thirty minutes later to collect the charges, having heard about the mission. He talked loudly with Tachanka who had joined him. They seemed to be going on the mission together. 

 

Mark found himself hoping that maybe Tachanka would also be caught in the mayhem that was about to be caused. He smiled to himself, humming a tune James used to love as he packed up and went back to his room for the night. He slept easy that night, dreaming of what his wedding could have been, if he had been allowed to have it. He dreamed of delicious cake, and deep, passionate kisses. A night of wonder and delight. With only the love of his life. He woke up, feeling his rage full on again, ready to plot the next death. He walked out into the common room to see Thatcher, his somber expression told him that his plan had worked. 

 

“Hey, what’s the long face for Maggie.” the younger man jokes, bringing back James’ legacy. 

 

“Fuze fucked the whole mission over last night. Also himself. He lived through the initial cluster charge, but he died in Doc’s medical tent two hours later. Fuze suspects somebody tampered with his charge, but he died before he could say anything else.” The older man replied, Mark stopped himself mocking surprise and shock. Feigning it so well that nobody would have been able to tell it was fake. 

 

“Oh shit, is everyone else ok? I mean, it’s a bloody shame he died, and I hope whoever tampered with it gets caught, that’s fucking horrible!”  he replies to the older man. He shrugged. 

“Tachanka got hit pretty bad, but he’s ok, you should go visit him, lad. Pay respects for Fuze, you know. He’s in the medical ward right now, he’s not in any real danger, Doc thinks.” he said, he drank something out of a flask. Last night must have taken a toll on him, Mark can’t find it in him to care. He got what he wanted, now he has to go finish off Tachanka. 

 

He swiftly walked over to the medbay and he smiled kindly at Kapkan who was leaving. The Russian nodded back at him as he left. Mute entered Tachanka’s room. The man was attached to many machines. There was still some medical equipment in the room, Doc was probably prepared for an emergency surgery. He examined the equipment while Tachanka. Laid there watching him silently. He couldn’t speak, clearly, and he couldn’t move thanks to his injuries. He smiled menacingly at the older Russian, he watched as panic settled into his features. Mark moved the special little panic button out of the Russian’s reach. 

 

“Sorry, Alex, can’t have you calling for help, buddy.” he spoke quietly. Tachanka’s blue eyes watched him, fear apparent in them. Mark locked the door to the room, just to be sure nobody would interrupt. 

 

“Do you know what an air embolism is, Alex?” the younger man asked. Tachanka shook his head, narrowing his eyes as he pulled black leather gloves out of his pocket and picked up an empty syringe. He pulled the syringe as far out as it would go. “No? Well, it’s when you get air in a vein or an artery and it clots your blood stream, causing you to have a heart attack. It can also travel to your brain or your lungs causing them to fail, essentially.” 

 

He smirked seeing the panic as he brought the syringe close to his body. He was fully prepared to end this man’s life. He paused. Decided to explain a little to the terrified Russian. 

 

“Ah, you probably don’t understand why I’m doing this,do you?” he waited for him to shake his head, when he did he continued to speak. “All I can say, is this: you shouldn’t have let James die. I can’t let  _ any _ of you live for what you did to me. To him. You took our happiness, and now, I will take yours.” 

 

The rage came back, he knew what he had to do, and he did not hesitate as he shoved the needle into a vein in his neck and pushed down onto the the syringe, pushing the air into him. He twitched and groaned as he struggled to breathe, the affect almost immediate. He waited for Tachanka to die before he left, carefully replacing the syringe back down on the tray nearby. His leather gloves were tucked back into his pockets. A soft smile on his face as his face relaxed in death. He replaced the panic button back to its original spot. He gently closed the Russian’s eyes and left the room. Nobody was anywhere near the room, and he knew Doc wouldn’t be back for at least an hour. He mentally crossed the second of five names off his list. Finka was next. She would be harder to kill. 


	3. Doing it for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We'll be at peace again."

Mute was in the common room arguing over which rugby team was better with Seamus when Glaz rushed in with the news of Tachanka’s death. He was crying, Seamus had stood up to comfort him. Mute stood up too, offering his support. He just wanted to kill the young artist, but he played it cool, smiling sadly as he listened to Glaz recount finding his comrade, apparently sleeping peacefully, only to find him with no pulse. He cried, sniffling about until Kapkan came, who also helped comfort the younger man. 

 

“He died of a heart attack, our new resident Doctor said. She was very disappointed to find him dead like that. I’m concerned by how she shrugged it off.” Kapkan spoke, Mute had a couple of run-ins with her as well. She wasn’t like good ol’ Gustave. She was much harsher, and seemed pretty emotionally detached from everything. Mute however had no concerns, she wasn’t going to investigate his death, that much he was certain of. 

 

“That’s a shame isn’t it? He had so much to give, I’m sorry for your losses Maxim.” Mark replied, as he rubbed a hand over Glaz’s back. He was already working on a way to kill Melnikova. The first deaths were easy, he realized, and he was certain Kapkan or Glaz would start noticing the details sooner or later. These deaths were no accident, no mishap. Only Tachanka truly knew what was up, and now he’s gone. When the two Spetsnaz operators left he started devising a plan to get close to Finka, gain her trust. And he knew exactly how that would play out. He met her outside the gym that afternoon, smiling at her kindly he offered his condolences, as he knew that Tachanka was close to her. But not as close as another. 

 

“Ah, Lera, just who I was looking for.” Mark spoke, his enthusiasm leaking into his voice.

 

“Oh, and just what do you want, Chandar?” she said, a suspicious look in her eyes.

 

“Oh, I just wanted to talk to you about Twitch. I’m sorry I couldn’t do much to save her, I know how much you two cared for each other.” he replied, a bit of sorrow slipped into his tone, an apologetic, almost self-blaming look appeared on his face as he spoke to her.

 

“Oh, Emma. I miss her, what do you think it could have been like if she had survived, do you think we could have gotten married?” she asked, sorrow filling her features. He smiled sadly, knowing damn well how she felt. He would use this against her. 

 

“I feel that, I believe that you two would have gotten married. I wish I could have at least experienced my own wedding.” Mark smiled sadly, driving the knife home with his words. 

 

“Oh God, I’m sorry, I forgot! How could I be so heartless, well, at least one thing’s for sure. We both know what it’s like to lose someone we love.” she said, opening her arms to offer the younger man a hug. He leaned into her accepting the hug. Whatever he has to do to get close to her. 

 

“It’s ok, Lera. Hey, why don’t we visit their gravestones together, that way we’re not alone. I know Twitch was buried out here because she wanted to be close to Hereford, as she called it her second home. I’m going out to town to get some flowers soon if you want to join me?” Mark offered. She contemplated the offer and nodded gently. 

 

“Yeah, that sounds nice. I’ve been meaning to visit, but I’m too afraid to go alone.” she said. He smiled and started leading her out to his car.

 

“Well, there’s no better time than now, isn’t that right?” and she laughed following him. 

 

The two were in his nice car as they started driving towards the town. He realized this was a perfect moment. He pulled off the side of the road Lera looked at him confused. 

 

“Here come around the car with me, I think I saw something out there.” He said, casting a confused look into the forest’s edge. She jumped out with him as they walked into the forest’s edge. He hadn’t expected her to follow him so easily. They walked for about fifteen minutes.

 

“Are you sure you saw something Mark?” she said, as she turned around. But it was too late. He kicked out her legs from beneath her, taking her down, knocking the wind straight out of her lungs. Taking her out from behind the knees was the easiest way. She tried to catch her breath as he pulled out a pocket knife. 

 

“Yes, I saw you, alone and scared. Dying out here with nobody to call for help.” Mark replied, as he brought the knife down. But she fought back, catching his wrist as she tried to stop him.

 

“Mark, what the fuck?” she screamed, but as loud as she could cry, nobody was out here to save her. 

 

“Don’t fight me Lera, you know it’s only going to be worse if you do.” he spoke, an uncanny calmness in his voice as he put his hand to her throat. 

 

“P-... please!” she cried out gasping for breath, she made a mistake and let go of his wrist attached to the hand with the knife, grasping at her throat instead. 

 

“You get to go see Emma again, Lera, didn’t you want to see her again?” he said so quietly. She panicked further, kicking against him uselessly as he squeezed her throat with one hand and drove the knife into her chest. “I’m going to reunite you with your wife, Lera. Go, be at peace.” 

 

She choked against him as she slowly died, he drove the knife in her several more times before he stood up. He looked down at his black clothes, glad to have worn the right color for this. He picked up her body and dragged her out to the nearby river, dumping her body in the rapids. He dipped himself into the river as well, washing the blood out of his clothes with the bitter cold. He jumped back in his car and drove to the graveyard, the rain began to pour, allowing him the perfect cover as he kneeled beside his fiancé’s grave.

 

“I’m doing it, baby, I’m doing all of this for you. And when I’m done, we’ll be at peace again. I love you so much.” he spoke as he placed his hand on the headstone. He smiled up to the rainy skies. Pleased with his work. 


	4. Mike Pushes His Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This is deja vu"

Three days later and still nobody knew where Lera Melnikova had gone. Six had marked her as AWOL. Nobody could remember where she was last seen. Too many people never saw her the morning she left the gym. Mark had a hay day, he made breakfast the next morning happily. Sledge and Thatcher were extremely concerned for the young man. Thatcher was especially concerned for Mute. He was so concerned it was getting detrimental to Mute’s plans. Mark was starting to get ansty with the older man watching over his shoulder every second of the day. Mike Baker was pushing his goddamn luck, and Mark had to do something about it, quick.

 

He could almost not get rid of the older man, he was at every corner waiting for the younger man. Always pestering him. Asking him if he's ok, if he needs anything. Mark was getting quite sick of the babying that was happening. He wanted it to end. He wanted his revenge. He couldn't get close to Glaz like this. Mike acting like a mother hen was too much, and he thought of an idea to make it stop. It would be horrifying. Shocking. Nobody would know what to do. Except for Mark, he knew just what he had to do. And he had to get into their resident Doctor's office. There was a couple of things he needed in there. 

 

He managed to break into Doc’s office, which was kept very differently from how Gustave kept it. It was almost… cleaner. She was gone for the day, having gone into town for the weekend, actually. Again, he donned the black leather gloves and started to search. He found some hydrogen peroxide, and he knew exactly what he had to do. He grabbed a large syringe as well, ready to use it. He stored both objects into his shoulder bag and left the office, careful to lock it back up behind him. No reason to cause suspicion now. He slowly walked back to the SAS quarters, where he knew Thatcher would be taking a nice nap in his room. He had been wanting to get close to Glaz, to try and lure him away next, but for three days Thatcher stalled him, he can no longer wait. 

 

Upon entering their quarters he went searching for Sledge. He didn’t find him, which means he must be out training. Mark smiled to himself as he went to Thatcher’s room, making sure his gloves were on just right as he opened the door. He opened it painfully slow, making sure it wouldn’t creak like it normally does when you open it too fast. He opened it  _ just _ enough to slip in and shut the door behind him. He took the chair from the small desk on the right hand side of the room and used it to lock the door, barricading himself in there with the elder man. He took a few seconds to fill the syringe in his bag completely full of hydrogen peroxide, he placed it on the bedside table as he stood over the older man. He knew if he tried anything the man would wake, so what better way to wake him than to pester him?

 

“Hey, Mike. Wake up, Mike, I have a question for you.” he spoke, making sure his voice was just loud enough to wake him. The older man startled awake, looking up at Mark in confusion.

 

“What are you doing in my room, lad, what’s wrong?” he asked, his words slurred with sleep. 

 

“I am doing something, but I need you to stay out of my way for a while, ok?” he replied, the confused look on Mike’s face only intensified as he tried to sit up. Mark pressed his hands onto his shoulders pressing the older man back down onto the bed, straddling him in the process to keep him from kicking up at him. 

 

“Mark, what the fuck are you talking about?” he was starting to get scared, Mark realized, just as he should be.

“I  _ need _ to get revenge on them, Thatcher and you keep getting in my way. How many times do we have to joke about your retirement before it fucking sinks into your head that you’re going to  _ die _ if you don’t!” the younger man nearly shouted at him, wrapping his hands around his throat. The man’s brown eyes widened in panic as he grasped at the younger man’s arms, which he only released one of the hands around his throat to snap one of his wrists so he could reach for the bedside table. 

 

Mike gasped a horrible throaty sound as his arm snapped under Mark’s grasp. Mark snatched the plastic syringe from the bedside table and shoved the needle into an artery in his neck. 

 

“This feels like deja vu, Mike, I did this earlier, you know, except, well the syringe was empty.” he said as he injected the liquid into his bloodstream. Mike tried to get a grip on the syringe, trying to pry it away from him, but it was too late, the damage was done. Within minutes, the older man was dead underneath Mark. He pressed Mike’s hands onto the bottle and the syringe leaving them both in the room, the syringe in his hand, and he faked a suicide note before he left the room. He left everything as it should be and carefully made his way back to his own room, dropping off his bag and his gloves and jacket before heading off to the workshop. Another daunting success, he decides as he encounters not a soul along the way. 

He sat down in the workshop, having decided to work on his Moni, even though he already knows it is currently at top performance. He had to make himself look busy somehow. When Sledge came in an hour later looking for him, he had completely dismantled his device in an organized manner and was already beginning to put it back together. He decided to pretend not to notice the other man at first, he was very much aware of his presence well before he gently touched his shoulder to gain his attention. He looked up at the distraught Scotsman. He shot the slightly taller man a confused look. 

 

“What’s wrong Seamus? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” he exclaimed as he stood up. 

 

“Mike is dead. He… he…” Seamus couldn’t even say it. 

 

“Oh  _ no,  _ what? How?” He replied, the shock on point, Seamus unaware of the false care. 

 

“I don’t really want to talk about it. I wish I hadn’t found him like that, to be honest. It… I don’t know.” Seamus said. Poor thing can’t even handle the old man’s demise.  _ He shouldn’t have gotten in my way. _ Mark thought to himself. He tried to hug Seamus, but the older man pulled back, shaking his head. Mark had some concerns about his demeanor. He was eyeing the younger man weirdly. Seamus decided Mark was all too calm about this. Weirdly… detached. Seamus did  _ not _ like it, whatsoever. Mark saw the way Seamus eyed him, the Scotsman was becoming too suspicious. He was already thinking of a way to get rid of him. When the idea hit him. He was going to be training with the others soon. Defenders versus attackers. Lesion was going to be on the same team as himself, he realized. He knew how to take out Seamus. 

 

After the Scotsman left the workshop, doing a double take back at the younger man as he pieced his Moni back together. He waited until he had finished his work before he left the workshop. It would truly be suspicious if he left work undone. He walked patiently to the chemical labs, a familiar place after having spent countless evenings with James in there as he rambled on about this and that. He knew how Lesion’s Gu mines worked very intimately as well, as the Cantonese man sought out help from Smoke from time to time. Always improving his mines. He pushed into the empty chemical labs, which haven’t been entered in a few hours. The automatic lights switched on as he entered the room. He sought out Lesion’s stuff and began to dig around. He found one of the prized Gu mines and began to toy with it. He found the perfect chemical to shove inside of it before he left, bringing the special mine with him. A poisoned mine basically, a perfect cover. Everybody knew that Lesion had a grudge against Sledge for a stupid bet that happened months ago. It would be easy to pin everything on him. 

 

He found his training gear and carefully tucked the Gu mine into his supply bag, making sure that it wouldn’t jostle around or get found by the others. Surely, it wouldn’t Mark knows the others consider him to be “too nice” for such things. He ran back around to nab his jammers from the workshop before meeting up with Sledge for the training. They met up with the other 8 operators that will be in the training and they all grabbed their gear, some of them noisily chatting with each other. Mark was prepared. Seamus would never know what hit him. It would all be too fast. He kept his face expressions neutral, although as he put on his gear nobody could see the smirk that formed behind the mask.


	5. How

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "J-James?"

The training was going smoothly, too smoothly. The attackers were winning, but Mark didn’t care. He knew how to lure Seamus away from the others. And he did so all too easily. He dropped his special little prize in a doorway to an unreinforced closet, waiting for him to go in there. With a Moni hidden in the entrance, there would be no way for him to communicate with his team. All Mark had to do was lock the Scotsman in there while he grew too weak to swing his hammer, and wait. Once he was sure the Scotsman was dead, he would take his jammer and relocate upstairs. He had to be quick, because someone will investigate. As long has he doesn’t move his jammer too early he should be fine. 

 

The Scotsman was in fact lured in. He noticed a weak spot in the wall that Mark had purposefully left uncovered and he listened for him to step on the Gu mine. He heard Seamus cry out in pain from inside the closet, the poison within immediately began its work. He had collapsed onto the floor of the closet, unable to stand again. Mark swiftly blocked off the closet, boarding up the door Seamus turned too late to see who it was boarding him in there. Mark could hear the Scotsman weakly calling out for help as he collected the Moni. He didn’t turn back as he left the room, leaving him in there, alone and isolated from the rest of the training mission. 

Mark got back just in time with all of his jammers to place them in strategic locations while the rest of his team scurried about trying to make sure all the loose ends were tied in. Frost called several times over the comms for Lesion to return to objective, which only made the young Brit even more excited. He was refusing to return to objective, which worked excellently for his plan. He took it easy on objective, holding himself up in one corner of the room. 

 

The defenders eventually lost, and heavily too after Lesion was carted off the scene by two security personnel and a very unpleasant looking Ash. She did not get her beauty sleep last night did she? Mark smiled at the thought of Ash being extra cranky and mean to him. 

 

Everybody was crowded into one spot as they carted the body of their comrade out of the training building. Nobody noticed that Sledge was dead until the attackers realized that they were missing a teammate when they were supposed to regroup. Eliza herself found the body. She was not pleased, not in the slightest. 

 

“What do you think happened? To Sledge?” Bandit asked me, I just shrugged, watching the scene intently. Everyone was chuttering. Nobody knew what was going on, Lesion even more so. The fact that Lesion was not on obj for almost the entire training session only made it look less pleasant for him. Mute knew he wouldn’t be suspected because he had left objective to collect his jammers and move them to better locations onsite. Nobody would ever suspect him. 

 

They started interrogating each operator, and they cleared Mute, Ash (since she was the one who started the investigation after 15 minutes of waiting for Sledge to appear), and Frost who spent most of the time in the corner with Mute trying to call Lesion up to them. They all asked if they had seen Lesion in the last few hours and he had been in the lab for an hour before their training session. The lethal gu mine was not supposed to be in there apparently. Six wanted to rule it out as an accident, but before Lesion left for the his gear and the lab, he had a… run-in with Sledge. At least three others reported the two in a heated argument about something. 

 

He was dismissed pretty quickly to the now empty SAS quarters. It was just Mute now. The last SAS operator on Team Rainbow. He sat down in the living area. Almost revelling in the quiet. He closed his eyes, and then he heard it. He opened his eyes and he heard it again. It sounded like someone was walking in the kitchen. He sat up, forcing himself out of the slouching position he had made into the couch. He looked around the room, and behind him. It seemed as if nobody was in there. But he could hear somebody shuffling about one of the lower cupboards. He stood up slowly. 

 

He walked slowly to the kitchen, mildly afraid as to who could be rummaging about the cupboards. Nobody should be in here with him. He tensed as he looked around the corner. Then he just collapsed on the floor. He felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. The man squatting in front the cupboards looked at him with one of the two teapots that they keep down there in hand. Tears spilled from his eyes as he pressed his hand against the cheek of the person in front of him. His voice was hoarse as he spoke.

 

“ _ J-... James?”  _


	6. Plots and Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mute goes to visit Doc and Bandit, but sees some shit.

Mark couldn’t believe his eyes, but he could  _ feel _ James. Yes, he felt a little cold. Yes, he wasn’t certain he could  _ trust _ his eyes. But here he was, in the flesh, James Porter. His fiancé, his light. Sitting in the darkened kitchen. Mark stood up with him. He was in awe watching him. He felt like he could burst, but he was so afraid to look away. Afraid if he looks away, he’ll be gone again. He reaches out for the lightswitch. But James grabs his arm, shaking his head. He doesn’t want the light on. He nods out to the living area where a single lamp stood lit in the corner. Mark cocked his head, confusion written in his features. 

 

“Turn off all the lights, babe.” he spoke, he stared at his supposedly dead lover. But he moved quickly to turn out every light in the SAS quarters. When he returned a kettle was going on the stove, James hummed a tune he used to always hum while he pulled two mugs out of cabinets above the stove. He smiled as he turned to Mark, still humming as Mark held onto the edge of the counter. He was so in awe. He felt as if he fell in love all over again. He watched as his lover poured out two cups of tea and handed him the hot mug, gesturing to the living area. 

 

“You know what you have to do. You heard about the mission tonight, yes?” James asked Mark as he sat down. He nodded as he sat down next to him. James laughed and leaned over to give mark a small kiss on the cheek. 

“What about the mission, love?” Mark asks, the adoring gaze he held shone in light emanating from the television. 

 

“You’ll be paired with Kapkan, Glaz, and a couple of recruits. You have to kill them. It’s time.” 

 

“I have to go visit someone, you think Gustave would be happy to see me?” 

 

“Yes, let him know that I wish him and Dominic luck, I heard they’re getting married.”

 

James pressed his lips against his lover, it was cold, like the air around them was frozen, but then the chill disappeared and when Mark opened his eyes, James had disappeared. He felt the sorrow return tenfold. He wanted his fiancé back. He stood up and grabbed his favorite coat and his car keys. He can afford to head out real quick, they leave in almost ten hours for the mission. As he strides out he hears Ash shout something, but he ignored here entirely. He had only one goal on his mind. For James. This is all for him. As he got in his car, he tossed his coat onto the passenger seat, not cold enough for it yet. He drove out to London where the two ex-Rainbow operators were staying. The drive felt like forever, it was only about three hours. 

 

When he pulled up to the small building and turned off the engine he just sat there for a minute staring up at the cute townhome style building. He observed the building assessing what to do, becoming only a little nervous. 

 

“You should head on in there laddie, I’m sure Gustave heard your car and is expecting you already, and you know how good ol’ Doc gets.” he jumped hearing Seamus speak. He could see the familiar Scotsman in the rear view mirror. His hands gripped the steering wheel with new might. Terror filled him anew. 

 

“You’re supposed to be dead, Seamus.” He responded. But the Scotsman only chuckled before disappearing from his view. He stared into the back of his car for a solid five minutes before he grabbed his jacket and tore his keys from the ignition. He slammed his car door shut as he stumbled out towards the locked gate. He frantically presses the buzzer, hoping Gustave or Dominic answers fast. Breathing heavily, he reached up to press it again, but the speaker crackled and then he heard a familiar voice spill out from it. 

 

“Mark? Well, come on in, the gate should be unlocked now,” he heard Dominic’s voice say. There is just a camera watching him, he didn’t care as he nearly tore the gate open almost breaking into a run to get to the other side of it. He looked back behind him, wondering if he really saw Seamus or if he just hadn’t had enough sleep. He shook his head, relaxing a tad. A hand fell on his shoulder and he jumped, turning around. Dominic raised an eyebrow at Mark, he looked tired. He must have been having a hard time sleeping again. 

 

“Right, uh, hey!” he greeted the German man. Dominic gave him a suspicious look. 

 

“You okay, man, you don’t… you don’t look so good.” he spoke to Mark, gesturing at him vaguely. 

 

“Yeah, I’m fine, just peachy. Hey, uh, let Gustave now I said ‘hi,’ I just… I just realized I have to do something.” he said as he turned on his heel and began to leave. His thoughts were clouded as he climbed into his car. He had been driving only for a few minutes when suddenly he saw someone in his peripheral view.  _ James _ . He loosened up a little, relaxing as he knew he was there. 

 

“You know, that wasn’t very nice what you did to Lesion. He  _ was _ my friend, after all, babe.” he sighed listening to his words. 

 

“I know, love. It was rude, but it’s all part of the plan. For  _ you _ , love.” He responded. He felt his supposed-to-be dead lover’s hand on his shoulder and he smiled. 

 

“I know, just hurry. We don’t know how long we have left.” he heard James respond. He nodded to himself. 

 

The drive back to base was quiet as he plotted and thought. He knew a high value target was going to be in their custody very soon. And many trapper operators will be there. He will have to be there to keep the room clear. He knew Frost and Kapkan would be highly recommended. Glaz may keep a perimeter. Blackbeard and Castle may help with that as well as Valkyrie. He can already see the team composition. His hands gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles as the base rolled into view. He clenched his jaw trying to figure out how to get both Kapkan and Glaz alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the depression fueled writer's block... but Papa is back!! I've got new plot twists in store for you all. -insert evil face here-


	7. Renewed vigor

Gustave’s hands roamed over the kitchen counter as he reached for the fruit bowl. The apples were crisp as the air outside. He bit into the apple, mildly disappointed it was a Granny Smith apple rather than his favorite Fuji apples. He continued to eat it anyways, leaning over the counter. Dominic was outside dealing with a guest. He was supposed to be letting Mark in, but he heard a car driving away. He decided he shouldn’t be concerned, but the feeling in his gut says that shit is about to go down again. And he’s been feeling it for about a week now. Again, he was safe. Comfortable. He shouldn’t worry anymore. It’s none of his business. 

 

“Hey, we were supposed to have dinner soon, Gustave!” Dominic laughed as he walked over. He could hear the German’s footsteps echo through the quiet house. He had asked his lover to make sure the room didn’t have much to cancel out the echo of sounds. He wanted to hear everything that happened in his own home. Dominic knew not to ask questions. 

 

“Well, can you put these nasty sour apples in a separate bowl where I won’t grab them.” he chuckled as he bit into the sour hell fruit again. 

 

“Ok, that’s fair, I know you don’t like them. I don’t know why you’re still eating that one.” he could almost imagine how his lover would shake his head. He could only shrug in response to the statement. He didn’t really know himself. 

 

“So, where did Mark go?” he asked instead, curious on why the younger man didn’t decide to come inside after all. 

 

“I don’t know, said he had to go do something he forgot about.” Dominic replied casually as he began digging around the fridge. Gustave stopped biting into the apple. He frowned, as he rolled the partially eaten fruit in his fingers. His brows were furrowed in thought. 

 

“Hmm. That’s odd.” he spoke quietly. 

 

“What’s odd?” Dominic said, shutting the fridge after pulling out what sounded like the milk carton and some eggs. 

 

“He told us his schedule was clear for the rest of this week. Until tomorrow, that is.” he said, throwing out the half eaten fruit into the garbage can nearby. The sound of it thudding into the metal container was satisfying for Gustave to hear. A clean shot across the kitchen, rather than hitting the floor again. 

 

“Huh, maybe something came up with James’ mother. She’s sick I think, poor thing. Nice shot, by the way. You’re getting better at aiming where the trash can is.” he replied, Gustave could hear the smile in his voice. 

But Gustave knew that something was very, very wrong. He couldn’t place his finger on it, however. He decided he wanted to go visit Hereford. Maybe Mike could be a good man and help him out. Maybe Mark is still sad about his fiancé’s death. He should check up on the young man. He walked over to his husband and kissed him on the cheek. 

 

“Hey, how about we go visit Hereford, I want to see what Mike is up to.” he said, a smile on his own face as his husband hummed in response. 

 

“That sounds like a good idea, let’s go.” Dominic said, he put away whatever he was doing back into the fridge and took Gustave’s hand to lead him to the car. 

 

**Meanwhile** :

 

Mark was desperate, flipping over the couch in the SAS common room, tables, throwing chairs over. Glass shattered onto the floor as he frantically searched. He had taken a nap to wake up and find that James’ engagement ring was not around his neck anymore. He couldn’t believe that anyone would take it from him. But then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see James looking down at him.

 

“You know who took it. The so-called ‘artist,’ get it  _ back _ .” Mark nodded. He heard voices nearby. He scrambled to the door to listen. He could hear and Ash and Pulse talking. As well as he was shocked to hear Gustave and Dominic. He listened closer. 

 

“Seamus was  _ killed  _ by  _ Lesion _ ?” Dominic asked, incredulous tone obvious in his voice. 

 

“I still don’t think he did it, evidence however… says otherwise. Eliza, you really don’t think-” Pulse had begun.

 

“I don’t care what pity story he told you, Pulse. He clearly did it, he may be let back in, because they’re unsure if it was tampered with or just a faulty mine.” he could hear Eliza say. 

 

“He didn’t do it, not himself. I know this Eliza, you can ask Thermite, the whole night the two were playing strip poker with Blackbeard, Ela, Blitz, and Buck, and myself. Not only does he have a solid alibi, but I can read it in the way he spoke about the whole incident and he was genuinely confused, Eliza. Somebody framed him.” Pulse was adamant. They had stopped just in front of the SAS doors. 

 

“But who would frame him? And why?” Gustave spoke, his voice calm. Decisive. He knows something his up, Mark realizes.  _ Why, it must feel like Deja-vú, doesn’t it? _ He thought to himself, a sick grin on his face. 

 

“Somebody wanted Sledge dead. And I think that somebody is Mute.” Pulse spoke. 

 

“ _ Mute? _ He- oh my  _ god _ .” Gustave started to speak. 

 

“That’s ridiculous, Pulse. He’s been acting strange because he’s still  _ grieving _ , Jack. He’s not guilty, we talked about this,  _ Jordan _ has talked to you about this, god dammit!” Ash yelled, it sounded like she had yelled louder than she meant to. The group of four had gone silent. 

 

“Look, Eliza, we need to talk.” Gustave spoke. He could hear the blind man shuffle toward where the woman stood. “Dom, go get some coffee with Pulse. We’ll meet back up in a few minutes. I’m going to calm Eliza down.”

 

He could hear Gustave and Eliza whispering as they shuffled down the corridor. His phone buzzed and he looked at it, looks like they’re supposed to leave early for this mission. Something must have gone wrong. He has thirty minutes. Thirty minutes to get rid of his weak link. Pulse was too insightful. He must have caught on while investigating. He must have looked into past recent deaths.  _ Shit _ . He had to remedy this. 

 

He slipped out into the hall after the two men. He followed them, donning on his leather gloves as he walked fast but quiet. The two entered Pulse’s personal office, the door left wide open. He could hear them talking quietly as they leaned over his desk. He couldn’t see Jack behind Dominic as they leaned over his desk, turning papers around the right way to read them.

 

“Look, Thatcher’s death was also highly suspicious, the timing, you know.” he could hear the American man saying. He slipped the door shut quietly. He saw several pens and a letter opener in a cup at the edge of the desk beside Dominic. He quietly leaned around the German man, careful not to brush up against the dense idiot. He grabbed the letter opener and quickly shoved it into the German’s neck. He gasped and tried to cry out as blood spilled all over the desk and the American man. He was bleeding really fast as he choked on his own blood, the sounds were muffled in the sounds of him falling over the floor. Pulse stumbled back, going up against the wall as he looks at Mark in horror. 

 

“Mark, stop! I can get you help!” he shouted, when the younger man leaned forward to grab the American, Jack scrambled around the desk, making the young Brit stumble as he moved. Jack looked in horror upon the dead face of the once-lively German, blood still spilling out of the wound. Mark stopped for a moment as he looked to his lover standing over the dead body. 

 

“Finish him off, babe. Don’t let them find out, it’s too early. You  _ have  _ to finish this.” James spoke, a grin on his face. 

 

“Oh, don’t worry, love. I’m going to finish this.” he spoke as he looked to his right and yanked the cords off the blinds. Jack could do nothing as he tried to reach for the door but was stopped by the cord being thrown around his neck and pulled violently. 

 

The American struggled against him for several minutes as Mark gently shushed him. When the American finally stopped struggling he let him go. His body fell to the floor, the cord was slightly bloody, and blood had spilled down Pulse’s neck as he had choked to death. Mark dropped the cord and began making his way to the armory to pick up his gear, shutting the door behind him. Eliza can handle this on her own. Gustave will also be fine, he’s probably got a hardened heart by now. He smiled as he whistled James’ favorite tune as he walked. 


	8. Discovery

“Ok, fine, Gustave. You win. But only because I’m curious about this crazy gut feeling.” Eliza spoke to Gustave quietly in an abandoned hall. 

 

“Look, it sounds crazy, yes, but I can’t deny that something is wrong. Too many people are dying at once. 

 

“ _ Or _ … the white masks are just getting good, and we’re slacking. With less people in Rainbow than ever before… it’s gotten hard to keep up with it.” Eliza said, running a hand through her long hair. 

 

“Let’s go. We should catch up with the guys.” Gustave said. Eliza was willing to entertain his theory for now, but he just had to prove it. 

 

The two looked for the men everywhere. Until suddenly Ela whipped down a hall with a sobbing Thermite in her arms. The two stopped seeing the blood staining his hands, the shock was clear on Jordan Trace’s face. 

 

“Pulse’s office. NOW!” Ela shouted, which surprised both of the others instantly.  _ This is not good.  _ Gustave thought to himself. They ran towards the office and saw Pulse’s body slumped against the desk, blood splattered everywhere. Gustave could smell the blood and couldn’t even imagine the scene, Eliza had to see it all. 

 

“Oh no, please tell me…” Gustave began. Ela finished. 

 

“Dominic… he’s dead too. Stabbed in the jugular it looks. I called Doc, well not you Gustave, our new.. you know… uh and well she hasn’t arrived yet. There’s so much fucking blood. Jesus  _ fuck.”  _ He could hear Ela gag as they got closer. Gustave felt his heart drop. His husband is dead. And this time. It’s for real. He felt rage and sorrow all at once. 

 

“Oh my god…” he heard Eliza say. Jordan started to keen loudly as he dropped to the floor, Ela must have let him go. He could hear the Polish woman sigh and start pacing behind them. 

 

“Who the fuck is starting up this shit again?” Ela muttered as she paced. Gustave felt numb. He knew. Eliza whispered something, Gustave could hear it, he wasn’t sure about the others. 

 

_ “Mark…” _ she said, before she spoke louder. “Where is everyone that’s supposed to go on that mission? I need to know now!” 

 

Ela stopped pacing. 

 

“They’re gone, Eliza. They had to leave fifteen minutes ago, why?” He heard her say in response to Eliza. 

 

“Oh my fucking god. Can you get ahold of Valkyrie?” She asked, “the killer is in their group” 

 

“Oh  _ fuck,  _ just because I have a crush on her… yes I can try and reach her. Don’t say a word about this, Cohen. But I swear to god if he kills her…” she trailed off before pulling out a phone. 

 

“Gustave we need to go, now. We’ll leave Jordan here.” Eliza said as she wrapped her fingers around Gustave’s wrist. They ran outside, and Gustave could feel the chill of autumn on his skin as he was gently pulled to Eliza’s car. 

 

“He’s  _ gone _ .” He managed to choke out as he sat beside her. She sighed. He could hear her rest her head on the steering wheel. 

 

“I’m so sorry, Gus. This shouldn’t have ever happened. I wish we could have gone with them instead. But it’s too late. We have to go stop Mark. And fast.” She responded, she sat up and started the car. “They’re actually not far from here. Let’s go.” 


End file.
